mesker



B. T. MESKER.

METAL CASKET. APPLICATION man OCT. 9. 1919.

Patented June 27, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1- B. T. MESKER.

METAL CASKET.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 9, 1919.

Patented June 27, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

B. T. MESKER.

" METAL CASKET. I RPPLICATION FILED OCT. 9, 1919- I 1 421 01 I Q Patented June 27, 1922'.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J/ J/ l UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD'T. MESKER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T0 MESKER BROTHERS IRON COMPANY, OFST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

METAL CASKET.

St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Metal Caskets, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact, description, such as will enable others skilled intheart to which it apper-- tain's to make and use the same, reference belng had to the accompanying drawings,

' forming part of this specification.

My invention relatesto new anduseful improvements in metallic caskets or coflins and particularly to the ty e of caskets or coffins that are pressed or rawn from sheet metal. I

The principal objects of my invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing types of sheet metal caskets; to provide a construction which gives the casket body and its cover the requisite strengthand rigidity; to provide an improved sealing joint between the body of the casket and the removable top or cover thereof, such joint being effected through the direct contact of parts, of said body and removable top or cover, thereby entirely eliminating the necessity forproviding the bolts band iron'and gasket or.

packing strips that are usually positioned between the contacting parts; to provide a construction wherein the bottom plate of the casket body is recessed so as to form a mar-v ginal bead; or ribwhich can be readily grasped by the hands while the casket is being lifted and movedfrom onepoint to another, and at the same time to materially increase the rigidity of the bottom portion:

of the casket; and, further to provide acasket of graceful contourand of a neat and finished appearance.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangementof parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed,vand illustrated in the accompanyi'ng drawings, in which' 7 a Figure 1 is atop plan view of a sheet metal casket constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a casket hav- Flgure Specification of Letters'Patent. Patented J 11113 27, 1922, Application filed 0ctober-9, 1919. Serial No. 329,485.

ing the removable top or cover formed in two parts. I

Figure 4 is an enlarged section taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure'5 is an enlarged cross section taken approximately on the line 55 of Figure 3.

- igures 6'and 7"inclusive are detail sectional views of modified forms of sealing joints that are adaptable for use between the removable top or cover of the casket and the body thereof.

Figure 8 is a plan view of a further modified form of the casket.

Figure 9 isan enlarged cross section taken approximately on the line 1010 of Figure 10 is an enlarged cross section taken approximately on the line 11-11 of Figure 8.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings and particularly to the form of casket illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, 10, 10 designate the side walls of the body of the casket, the same being pressed or drawn from sheet metal and their lower portions preferably extended upwardly to form reinforcing ribs or beads 11. The lower edges of these rib or head portions 11 are extended horizontally-inward as designated by 12 and secured thereto in any suitable manner are the edges ofthe casket bottom 13, the latter being preferably formed from a single piece of sheet metal. The main body portion of this bottom is elevated with respect to the edges that are secured to the beads or ribs 11 and by virtue of such construction, a recess 14 is provided, said recess being continuous along the sides and ends of the casket body, thus enabling the fingersof the hands to grip the lower corners of the casket body while the same is being lifted and carriedfrom one point to another. If desired, one or more strips of wood orvanalogous material may be applied to the underside of the bottom 13, as illustrated by dotted lines in Figure 2,'such strips serving as bearings for the rollers located in the bed or bottom of a hearse, and adding rigidity to the lower portion of the casket.

It will be understood that the end walls of the body of the casket are formed integral with the side walls 10 and said end walls may be of any desired shape, either rounded,

angular, square, or elliptical. The upper portions of the side and .end walls-of the casket body are provided with outwardly projecting upper finishing beads 15 which, in addition to materially strengthening the upper portion of said body, lend to the casket a neat and finished appearance. The upper portions of these beads 15 are formed with inverted U-shaped beads 16, the legs .of

whichare spaced a substantial distanceapart andarranged parallel with each other, there by forming a strengthening member: ;whichcombines with the upper finishing bead 15.

to giveltbe uppe portion ofithecasketibodv' strength and rigidity, and, in additinngsaid o ur is icenve ed upwardly as designated by 18 so as to provide a graceful contour and the marginal-edge. of said closure ter minates in a continuous iinvertednkbshaped bead 19 of such size as to fit snugly upon :the inserted U-shaped bead :16 on athe .casket e y.

Thus when the closure isapplied to the casket body, all parts ofthe .innersurstac'e of ,the inverted \U-shaped rib or bead 19'are inl gli'rect contact with theoutersurfacesof the invented -'U1shaped yribor bead '16, thus forming a sealing joint between the closure and the Y body that iswail' and wateratighta such joint being produced without the use of any extraneous means such as gaskets .or packing-strips. 1

If desired, an inner closure "such'as a sheet metal plate 20 may be provided the edges of the flatter terminating in depending flanges 21-wvhich, .when xthe i nner closure is applied.

for :use, occupy *the grooves in the U-shaped beads 17. j i

Figures 3, 4 and 5 I have illustrated a form of casketwherein :theclosure is made in two paamtsxand there being a glazedpanel arranged beneath the shorter one of :the parts ofthe top .dlosure, said panel carrying a section of .glass or transparent material, this construction being designed for the purpose .of giving \view to the head and upper pontionsof the body ofthe cor occupying ithe casket. In this constructlon 22 and 23 designate respectively, the-long and short sections of the closure, the side and outer end portions of which terminate in inverted U- shaped ribs 24 which are adapted to fit snugly over the corresponding inverted U- shaped beads l6.

shaped portions of the casket body and the inner end of the longer section 22 is extended vertically downward as designated by 25 and the lower portion of this downward extension terminating in a U-shaped rib 26. The inner end of the shorter section terminates in a depending portion 27 which fits snugly against the adjacent face of the depending portion 25 and the lower edge of said depending portion 27 being adapted to occupy the U-shaped rib 26 when'the parts ofthe closure are properly assembled. (See Fig. 4). g

A substantially rectangular frame 28, preferably formed of sheet metal, is normal'ly disposed directly beneath the short seotion=23 of the closure, said frame carrying a section 29 of glass, silk gauze or like transparent material, and the sides of said frame bein provided with dependin flanges 30 w ich occupy and are arranged to slide in the :U-shaped portions 17 that are formedon the inner legs of the inverted -U- The.construotion just described, provides a relatively simple and effective air and watert-ightsealing jointibetween the body of the casket and the closure 'therecfor' and at the same time provides a construction wherein a wpOIItiOIl of the closure can be readily re moved to permit theghead and upper portion ofgthe body of the corpse to be conuenientlyviewed through the section of glass or transparent material 29. 1 j

In Figures 6 and '7, I have illustrated modifications of the sealing joint between the 'bod-yof the casket and the closure therefor, which can be easily and cheaply produoedand which are effective in "formin air and water-tight joints.

In the construction'illustrated in Figure 6, a portion of the upper finishing bead 15 is bent into a substantially vertical plane to form a leg 30 and the material adjacent tothis leg is bent to'form aU-shaped bead or rib 3 1. The marginal edge of the closure that is designed-to be used on this form of casket terminates in a U-shaped portion 32 .which is adapted to fit snugly within the U-shaped rib or bead 31, andthe outer legof sai'd-U-shaped portion 32is provided with a horizontally disposed flange 33 which extends slightly beyond the vertical leg 30, thereby forming a projectionwhich maybe engaged by a suitable tool when .it is desired to remove the closure from the casket body. 4

In Figure 7 I have shown means for effectively retaining the closure upon the casket body, such means comprising a slight projection 44 that is pressed outwardly from the outer leg of the inverted U-shaped portion 16 on the casket body andsaid projection. being adaptedto engage in a seat 45 that is formed in the outer leg of the invQrted U-shaped portion19 of the closure and'whichseat is formed by pressing a portion of the .metalfjof said outer leg outwardly. This retaining means is effective in firmly securing the. closure to. the casket body while these partsare temporarily assembled or while the empty caskets are being shipped from one point to another.

In Figure 8 I have shown a casket provided with a sealing member which includes a closure plate 46 preferably formed of sheet metal and provided along its marginal edge with an inverted U-shaped member 47 that is adapted to fit snugly over and make sealing contact with the inverted U- shaped bead or member 16 on the upper portions of the side and end walls of the casket body.

If desired, one end of this closure member 46 may be formed with a frame in .which is located a section 48 of glass or transparent material. Where this construction is carried out, the metal of the member 46 adjacent to one end thereof and the metal at the sides of said member adjacent to said end are extended inwardly and upwardly a short distance as designated by 49, and then said metal is bent to form inverted U-shaped ribs 50. From the inner ends of these legs the metal is extended inwardly and thence rearwardly to form substantially horizontal flanges 51, and immediately below said flanges the metal is bent downwardly, thence inwardly to form channel portions 52 which receive the corresponding edges of the transparent member 48. This frame for the transparent member is completed by a transversely disposed rail 53, the lower portion of which is formed on a channel 54 adapted to receive the corresponding edge of the transparent member 48. A cover 56 for this transparent portion of the closure is formed of sheet metal and the sides and outer end of this cover are formed into depending legs or flanges 56 which, when the cover is applied for use, rest directly upon the flanges 51 and fit snugly against the inverted U-shaped ribs 50. (See Figs. 9 and 10.) This cover is formed so that its main body portion lies flush or in the same plane with the main body portion of the sealing cover 46. If desired, an outer cover 57 may be provided, said outer cover being formed of sheet metal and provided at its edges with depending flanges 58 which, when the cover is applied for use, rest directly upon the body of sealing cover 46 and bear against the inner legs of the inverted U-shaped portions 47 thereon. (See Fig. 10).

In some instances it may be found desirable to provide a sealing closure with a section of plate glass or the like which extends practically the entire length of the casket and where this construction is carried out, the transverse rail 53 is dispensed withsand the channel portion 52 of the frame of ,the closure extends the entire length and width of said frame, and thus accommodating a single full length section of,; glass, as illustrated by dotted lines in Figure9. i

casket of, my improved construction may be produced at very low cost inasmuch as it is composed of but relatively few parts and which latter may be pressed or drawn into proper shape by suitable dies; further, the casket has great strength and rigidity due to the formation of the upper and lower beads on the body and also by reason of the formation of the marginal bead on the closure and the cooperation of said closure and bead with the upper marginal bead on the casket body. The interengaging beads on the casket body and the closure in addition to adding strength and rigidity to the completed structure are effective in producin without the use of extraneous means a sealing joint that is air and water-tight, the same being simple and inexpensive of manufacture, and being particularly efi'ective by virtue of the fact that a considerable from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In a casket, a side wall reinforced along its upper edge by bending the same to form a rib, an integralconvex closure seat formed above said rib, an outer closure having a concave perimetric flange for engaging said seat in sealing contact, the inner edge of said seat being refolded inwardly and upwardly to form a supporting trough for an inner closure.

2. In a casket, a body side wall terminating in a U-shaped flange of sheet metal, a removable cover, the edge of which terminates in a U-shaped flange of sheet metal, said U-shaped flanges having contact with each other extending a substantial distance transversely of the flanges, whereb they cooperate to form a self-sealing joint between said cover and body side wall.

3. In a casket, a side wall pressed from a single sheet of metal, an integral inverted U-shaped flange at the upper edge of said wall projecting inwardly therefrom, a U- shaped terminal on said flange, said flange and terminal being adapted respectively to be received in and to receive correspondingly shaped cover members to form sealed joints therewith.

a casket, a side wall pressed from a single sheet of metal, an integral u-shaped flange at the upper edge of said wall projectmg inwardly therefrom and facin 5 downwaMHyya U-shaped terminal on sa' flange projecting inwardly -therefrom and facing upwardly, an outer closure, a U- heml on the edge of said closure adapted 4:0 fit said flange, an inner closure and a (downwardly prejeeting; rib on said 10 inner closure adapted to be "seated in said terminal.

In testimony whereof 'Ihereunte afiix my signature this' 6th day of October, 1919.

BERNARD 'r. MESKER. 

